The Black Twins
by The May Waters
Summary: Sirius Black has a twin, a twin he promised he would never leave behind. Yet here he is, forging on through life and wanting to feel separate from his twin when all she wants is to hold onto their relationship. Can she manage to pull them back together, or is it futile to try?
1. The Black Children

****PLEASE NOTE! This story is not written by me, it is written by my friend. My friend and I have agreed together to post each other's stories on each other's profiles. She is a member of a FanFiction site called Inkitt. Some of my better stories will be going onto her profile there and her stories will be posted here on mine. We call it a fair trade off. Thank you for understanding.

* * *

The Black Twins

By Samantha Foote

* * *

Chapter 1

The Black Children

* * *

"How could you leave me with her?" She yelled at him on the train platform just before the start of sixth year. "After everything that happened, you just leave without a word to anyone. You have no idea how lonely I was without you!"

"I'm sorry," the teenager reached out and pulled the girl towards him in a tight hug, "I didn't think you'd want to come with me."

"You didn't even bother to ask," Her voice was muffled from resting in his shoulder, which was now damp from her tears.

"I ran away to James' place, you never liked him."

"I would've still come with you Siri."

"But-"

"No buts about it, anywhere is better than living with our mother." She sniffled, pulling away. "We're twins, twins aren't supposed to leave each other behind."

"I'm sorry, it'll never happen again. I promise."

* * *

"Congratulations Mrs. Black, you've given birth to twins."

* * *

"Siri," The little red headed girl whined, reaching forward to pull on her brothers' hand.

"What?" Sirius screamed, tugging his hand away.

"I just wanted to play," Then she was running away, her loud wails making the walls groan and pictures yell. Sirius stuffed his hands in his pockets, turning away. A pair of brown eyes watched him from the crack of a doorway. The little boy slipped out and ran up the stairs after his older sister.

"Are you okay?" Regulus whispered, spotting the girl hiding behind an upstairs couch.

"I just wanted to play with Sirius; he always goes off and does his own thing. I want him to teach me Quidditch Reg. He loves it, he's my twin, I wanna do things he likes." She sniffled, rubbing her left eye with her fist. One piercing green eye stared up at him, wide and fearful.

"I'll teach you Lily," Regulus smiled at her, taking her hand gently in his and pulling her towards the door of the room.

"Thank you Reg," Her smile and laughter was blinding, both children racing through the halls excitedly the small backyard where there were brooms to fly around on.

* * *

"Sirius, why do mum and dad keep talking about some sort of dark lord rising to power soon?" Lily tossed herself backwards onto Sirius bed. His sock covered feet wiggled in her direction, his knees pulled up tight to his chest as he attempted to hide the book he was reading.

"It's something to do with a pure pureblood line," Sirius let his bookmark fall into place, the spine laid out with gold letters; _Pureblood Struggle._ It was the only kind of books their family had in the library. Lily crinkled her nose at it, reaching back to grab her brother's legs.

"We'll be gone from it all in two years Siri," She grinned at him, pulling at his pants.

"We won't really be gone from it," Sirius placated.

"Stop spoiling my dream."

"Sorry Lils," He brushed her red hair with his hand, leaning back into his pillow.

"What house do you want to be in?"

"Do you want me to say what mother has taught us to say or my actual desire?"

"Your actual desire." Lily flipped onto her stomach, swinging her legs through the air.

"Gryffindor, but don't let mum know."

"Never," Lily clasped her pinkie in his. "I wouldn't mind Ravenclaw or Gryffindor, but mum does expect Slytherin children."

"I suppose it's all up to the hat," Sirius reached into his pocket, pulling out a cauldron cake he had hid earlier. Lily held out her hand expectantly, happily receiving a large portion of the sweet treat.

"I don't want to be without you."

"Me either,"

* * *

"Do you mind if I sit there?" A small, pale faced boy with greasy black hair was standing awkwardly in the compartment door.

"Sure," Lily smiled brightly at him. "My name is Lily."

"Severus," he seemed reluctant to touch her outstretched hand.

"This is my twin brother Sirius," the boy nodded only slightly in his direction, a sour look seemingly glued to his features.

"Er... Hello." Another boy, this one with messy hair and square glasses framing his hazel eyes was staring at the empty seat.

"Go on and sit down then," Sirius jerked his head at the plaid cover.

"Are you all first years?" The boy tried to make conversation, but only received nods in response. Any conversation held between the eleven year olds for a good portion of the ride was in whispers, until one of Severus' and Lily's conversations became a little too loud.

"You'd better be in Slytherin."

"Who wants to be in Slytherin? I think I'd leave, wouldn't you?" The boy named James, which they had learnt somewhere amidst the whispered conversations, let his voice become quite derogatory.

"Our whole family has been in Slytherin," Sirius shrugged, waving towards Lily as well.

"Blimey, and I thought you seemed alright!"

"Maybe one of us will break tradition. Where are you heading, if you've got the choice?"

"'Gryffindor, where dwell the brave at heart!' Like my dad." James dramatically lifted an invisible sword, obviously imagining the coveted sword of Gryffindor which few wizards had come across in their lives. Severus snorted at his antics, but James did not take it well. "Got a problem with that?"

"No, if you'd rather be brawny than brainy-"

"Where're you hoping to go, seeing as you're neither?" Sirius slipped in, Lily glared at him disdainfully. He could be so rude at times.

"Come on Severus, let's find another compartment." Lily stood, ushering the pale boy out with her.

"See ya, Snivellus," James taunted, sticking out a foot to try and trip the boy.

"Lily, wait." Sirius stumbled out of the compartment door after his twin.

"What?" She snapped.

"Look, I'm sure James didn't mean any harm."

"And yet there was harm done, so leave it alone."

"Lils," Sirius grabbed for her hand, but she pulled it away.

"Leave it alone." Then her small hand wrapped around Severus' and pulled him down the train. Just before they were about to disappear, her body turned and gave one last pleading call. "You could choose you know, to come with us."

* * *

"Black, Lily." Professor McGonagall called, Lily's small frame was shuddering as she passed other first years to the stool. The hat was more daunting than it should be. She brushed past Sirius and his new train friend, but before she could go all the way past his hand gripped hers tightly, wishing her well. It was what Lily needed at the moment, the support of her twin. She sat on the stool, hoping the creaking didn't mean it would break under her. The brown hat was dropped onto her head and the great hall before her was no more.

"Lots of cunning I see, full of love for her family despite how often they've left you behind." The hat whispered into her ear, Lily held back a jump. "Scared of retribution if you were to be in another house besides Slytherin, but wishing you could break away from the family mold. Courageous, very brilliant mind. I could see you being in every house, but ultimately I suppose, the choice is up to you."

"I don't want to choose, I want to just be told where to go. I'm scared and my mum wants me in Slytherin, but I want to stay with Sirius my twin who hasn't been sorted yet. I have a friend who wants to be in Slytherin and I want to be with my new friend, but I've always had my brother. He's going to try and be in Gryffindor, I just know it, and I'm scared to be away from my brother. We've never really been separated. How do you expect me to choose between my family and my friend?"

"Beware Lily, there may come a day where you have the make the choice you are most afraid of. However, I think I know where you might best fit in-even if you stand out a little. Your courage to stand up knows no bounds after all."

"I like that idea," Lily whispered.

"Then you best know you're going to-" The hat's voice echoed out into the Great Hall with a shout of, "Gryffindor!"

Lily sat frozen on the stool. Her green eyes widened in shock, Sirius' brown eyes meeting hers and nudging his head towards the cheering table. Lily's eyes slid across a disappointed black set and she tried to convey her shocked feelings to him. Letting him know he should try and choose the house the hat had chosen for her. She moved mechanically towards the table, hoping her brother would join her within a few moments.

"Black, Sirius." Lily's eyes snapped to the boy now approaching the sorting hat as well. She watched the hat rest gently on her brother's head; only moments later it was yelling out his own sentence.

"Gryffindor!" Lily slid out of the seat, standing to greet him with a tight hug. They were so short, no one noticed anything different.

"I was so scared," She whispered into his ear.

"I'm here for you, forever."


	2. Making Friends

Chapter 2

Making Friends

* * *

"Morning Lils," Sirius told the sleepy girl in front of him. She was rubbing one bright green eye and staring at him with a half lidded eye.

"Siri," Lily murmured sitting down and nearly putting her elbow in the butter dish and a bowl of oatmeal simultaneously. Sirius stretched out a hand, saving her from embarrassment.

"Have you made any friends with the girls in your dorm yet?" He asked, sliding several pieces of sausage onto her plate, knowing she hated bacon.

"We just got here yesterday and the minute we landed in the beds upstairs it was morning-so no."

"Oh it's you," A boy suddenly appeared behind Sirius, his eyes directed across the table at Lily. Her eyes narrowed, hand twitching towards her drink. During the opening feast the night before he had been trying to show off and ended up dumping a large plate of barbecue ribs into her lap. Sirius had honestly tried to hold back his laughter, but it was a little funny considering when they were little she'd managed to pour her milk into his lap.

"Yes it's me." She muttered, picking moodily at the oily meat on her plate.

"Just eat it Lils, I know you love the stuff." Sirius encouraged. A throaty growl sounded from her chest causing her brother to chuckle.

"You remember that story I started last night?" James asked turning to face his new friend, completely ignoring Lily who was no longer enjoying her first morning at Hogwarts.

"Yeah, the one about your fifth birthday in your manner," Sirius' eyes lit up slightly having never enjoyed the adult parties his parents threw for the twins.

"My mum decided it'd be best to use the grand staircase as a route for mattress surfing and she was the first one down. Mind you my mum is a lot older than most mum's and the curve in the stairs threw her off slightly and she went tumbling into the base of the railing. Dad had to take her to St. Mungo's while he trusted us few cousins home with the house elf for a sleepover. The dining room was completely destroyed." James was laughing hard enough they could barely make out his words towards the end.

A boy with very light brown hair was sliding into a seat a few away from the laughing boy. Lily glanced up at him hopefully, recognizing him as one of the first years who had been sorted the night before with her.

"Hi, my name is Lily Black." She greeted, sticking out her hand.

"Remus Lupin," his voice was quiet and he looked as though he was scared of human contact.

"What kinds of things do you like?" Lily further attempted, this could very well be her first friend.

"Books," he mumbled shyly, shifting in his seat and reaching for the farther away foods.

"I love books! What kinds of books do you read? Sirius and I read lots of books before we came to Hogwarts." She explained in a rush.

"I wouldn't say a lot." Sirius' voice was obviously nervous as he glanced towards James.

"You were always reading, when we were nine there was never a night when there wasn't a book on your night table." Lily's eyebrows furrowed together, the two boys sitting by them completely forgotten in her eyes.

"I'm sure there were a lot of nights, honestly Lily. I haven't read that many, just because you're my twin doesn't mean I'm exactly like you."

"You're scared you're going to be judged because you like reading."

"That's enough Lily." Sirius now had an edge to the way he was speaking, clearly a warning tone to all those around him.

"Why are you so scared of admitting you love to read?"

"I said that's enough." Sirius slammed his hands down onto the manicured oak and stood, glaring down at the girl in front of him. She curled away in shock, tears swimming up into her attentive green eyes.

"Well then," Lily stood abruptly, swinging her bag onto her shoulder. "You've made your point quite clear."

"Lils," Sirius reached out realizing what he had done.

"Perhaps we can talk later?" Lily asked Remus, forcing a smile onto her saddened face.

"Er- yeah."

"Lily!"

"Miss Black!" Professor McGonagall had just reached their spot on the Gryffindor table, a stack of parchment held tightly in one arm, her wand in the other. "I have your schedule here since you're rushing off so early, wouldn't want you to be late to any of your classes."

"Thank you Professor." Lily took the parchment the older woman was holding out before quickly turning. She didn't want her teacher to ask why she was about to burst into uncontrollable sobs.

There at the end of the tables, making his own way out of the Great Hall was her friend Severus Snape. Lily rushed towards him, her robes flying out behind her in excitement.

"Hi Sev," she said breathlessly, skidding to a stop at his side. He jumped quite violently, his eyes jolting to hers and sliding away again.

"Hello." He replied quite dully, turning away.

"What's the matter?"

"We shouldn't be seen together."

"What on earth do you mean?" Lily tried not to take the blow too harshly after her brother had shirked her away as well.

"You're a Gryffindor, I'm a Slytherin, it's a forbidden thing."

"I never read that in the rule book anywhere, so your argument is invalid." Lily pointed out wrapping an arm through his.

"We'll get in trouble."

"By whom exactly? Not the teachers surely," An undignified snort escaped her lips. "I'm a pureblood, it's not like I'm going to taint your reputation any."

"You think that's why-" Severus never finished his question, a horrified look settling on his face.

"It's the only logical explanation." Lily muttered unhappily looking down.

"That's not why-it would never-" He seemed unable to form a complete sentence.

"If it doesn't matter then we can be friends, come on. What class do you have first?"

"Transfiguration, it says we're with the Ravenclaws on here." Severus glanced up at the red head. "Have you not looked at your schedule yet?"

"No, I was upset with my brother. I was only there long enough to get the paper and stomp away." Lily mumbled shyly, now taking a moment to look at the slightly crumpled parchment in her hand.

"You're brother seems to upset you a lot," he commented as they stood in the doorway of the Great Hall, having not moved since Lily stopped him.

"We used to never really argue on anything and now that he's here at Hogwarts it's like he still wants to be my brother but doesn't want anything to do with me." Her eyes were swelling with tears again; she kept her head ducked to hide them.

"If I had a sister like you-" the boy turned pink and shuffled away a little bit.

"Hey look, we have Charms, Potions, and Defense Against the Dark Arts together." Lily announced, shoving her schedule into his face not noticing the discoloration.

Lily pulled it back, her eyes scanning it quickly; the parchment was so close to her face, her breath was making a circular patch soft. Her green eyes flitted back up to hold his black ones in a tight stare down. "You'll sit by me won't you?"

"Of course." It was the first warm smile Lily had seen grace Severus Snape's features.

* * *

"So your name is Remus, huh?" James asked after Lily's departure.

"Yes," Remus replied not looking up from his goblet of pumpkin juice.

"You want to be friends with this twat and us?" James jabbed a thumb in Sirius' direction.

"Twat?" The boy asked in indignation, he was no 'twat'.

"Considering the way you just treated your sister, yeah I think I'm justified in calling you a twat."

"That's not fair." Sirius argued completely forgetting about the boy James had just asked to become their friend.

"I think it is," Remus spoke up. "Not that he insulted you, but he was simply pointing out how you treated your sister."

"I just-"

"Treated her poorly because you are honestly scared of judgment," The light skinned boy gave him a half grin. "Go after her."

Sirius grabbed his bag and a napkin full of sausages, rushing for the door the red head and Severus had just disappeared through.

"You want to be our friend then?" James asked taking a large bite from a granny smith apple, juice dribbling down his chin.

"I'll wait for a few days to say yes or no, after I figure out whether or not Sirius is really your friend." Remus smirked and bits of chewed fruit fell into salivating heaps on the wooden table. "Next time, keep the food in your mouth, yeah?"


	3. I Love You

Chapter 3

I Love You

* * *

"Lily," Sirius greeted sliding onto the bench where Lily had set herself up in History of Magic. She ignored him, continuing to stack several quills neatly in a row, an ink bottle perched and ready for use. She began to build a small book wall between her and her twin, which Sirius was dissembling as she built it.

"Will you go away? I don't want to talk to you right now."

"Lils," He brushed her hand gently. She jerked it away making to move her things to another desk. "Hey, I'm just trying to talk to my sister."

"Yeah? Well you've made it fairly clear you don't really want one." Lily snapped, eying her books on the other side of him. She made to grab one, but Sirius stopped her.

"I want a sister, when have I ever not wanted a sister?"

"I can think of several prime examples from our childhood." Lily glared standing back up, deciding on whether or not she would really need her textbooks.

"Okay, bad question." Sirius looked down at the desk, biting his lip. "Lily, I'm sorry for what happened at breakfast, it's just that he's in my dorm-"

"And you want to make a good impression, I get it. If that means I have to go by another name and no longer call you my twin then so be it. What do you think of the name Lily Evans?"

"That's definitely not what I want; I was just scared of being judged as some high end pureblood."

"Did you never pay attention in our family history lessons?"

"Not much, no."

"Potter is a pureblood family, that James who's in your dorm is the same as you and me. I have no idea about the pureblood mania from that side though, however, I do think his mother is our mother's aunt who married the blood traitor Potter."

"What was her name again, Dorea?"

"Are you talking about my mum?" James had appeared silently behind them, sliding into the desk behind the twins.

"Dorea Potter née Black?" Lily asked for clarification.

"I think that was her maiden name, yeah-any relation to the pair of you?"

"She's our mum's Aunt." She informed him and his eyes grew wide.

"That means I'm cousins with your mum?"

"That is disgusting."

"Well, if you still count the family name as intact, your mother was disowned so she's no longer apart of the Black line at all."

"Lovely,"

"I can't believe you even keep up with all that pureblood mania stuff," Sirius scoffed and Lily narrowed her eyes.

"Well excuse me for finding something halfway decent to read in the library."

"That doesn't mean you have to follow it like a religious cult."

"If you were going to insult my choice in reading materials, then sit by someone else. If I recall it was you who read a book all about the superiority of the pureblood line when we were nine."

"Don't go trying to pin this back on me."

"You're the one making me out as though I'm some pureblood more interested in my status than anything else. I merely want to find myself acquainted with names I can mention around our mother."

"Since when have you cared about what our mother thinks?"

"Since the fact we live there and if we step a toe out of line we could be kicked out on the streets with nothing to show for it." Sirius was quiet. "I hope you see my point."

"Alright, I'll drop it."

"Thank you."

"Now if you two don't mind, do you think you can keep it down? Some people are actually trying to pay attention to the lesson." A Hufflepuff girl snarled from a desk over. Lily looked around in shock, for indeed they had a large audience and the Professor had already started the lesson.

Professor Binns was in fact a ghost and he had a droning voice which was hard for Lily to get hooked on. Perhaps this class she would be able to catch up on other homework. Sighing she leaned back and sank down slightly, trying to hide her flushed face. Sirius was glowering off at a wall, his gaze sinking past a small fellow Gryffindor who seemed to be shivering with fear. Remus Lupin had sat down next to James and rolled his eyes at the pair of them, he could foresee many fights in the future; he felt the need to be a mediator and guessed he would be if he decided to become friends with the pair.

* * *

To say the next few weeks of school were crazy would be an understatement. Remus Lupin would say they were stark raving mad, completely insane, anyone who could survive it would be a lunatic by the end. If he hadn't started talking to one of the boys in his dorm he might not have made it out with his mind. Remus had befriended a small first year by the name of Peter Pettigrew and they quickly became fast friends. Peter was quite cheeky but quiet about it, he was scared to get into trouble. He could figure all sorts of well kept secrets because he would slip in silently and stay unnoticed, a master of disguise.

Remus found the boy intriguing and he had a bright sense of humor which made him laugh often. Sirius and James would often exchange worried glances when Remus seemed to burst into laughter over nothing. He was attempting to get the boy to break more out of his shell. Peter Pettigrew had however chosen a terrible day to finally start to break away from his quiet nature. A day in which all of those present in the Gryffindor Common Room will never forget.

A loud shriek issued from the girls dormitory and within the next few seconds an irate Lily Evans was standing there, her hair swept back and a look of horror displayed on her face. The room froze mostly, some of the older students not really caring if an ickle firstie was having issues with family or dorm mates. Sirius stood uneasily from his position on the plush velvet couch and when Lily's green eyes landed on him she rushed straight for him. Those few moments in which their eyes had locked he could see her eyes tearing up. She dashed right into his open arms and he held her tight in a hug.

"What's the matter?"

"McStuffins is gone," She wailed into the crook of his neck, the cry made most of the students who hadn't been paying attention snap towards her. McStuffins was the muggle lion toy Sirius had secretly bought for her when they were five. He had disappeared for an hour a few days before their birthday, scaring Orion and Walburga to death, only to return with the toy stuffed in his pocket.

"What?" Sirius had the decency to look horrified, despite the fact it was now quite mangy and dirty and he wished his sister would stop dragging it everywhere.

"I don't know, I left him sitting on my pillow and now he's gone."

"I'll go help you look for him."

"Boys can't get into the girls dormitories." A snobbish third year girl told him. A few of the older students smirked at each other, for they knew a secret the younger years didn't.

"What are we going to do then?" Lily wailed louder, covering her eyes.

"Where are the other girls in your dorm?"

"Are you looking for this thing?" James asked, holding up the stuffed lion and Lily's eyes went wide.

"Where did you find him?" She began to reach out for the toy, stepping away from her brother who was scrutinizing his friend with narrowed eyes.

"I asked that blond girl your dorm to nick it for me; I just said any item of yours would do."

"Why would you ask her to steal it from me?" She took a step back instead of forwards, horrified at his implication.

"Thought I might need a favor from you in the future-use it as leverage," James smiled sheepishly.

"Give him back," Lily held out an expectant hand.

"I don't think I will,"

"James," Sirius warned letting go of his sister.

"What's so important about this toy?" He tossed it in the air gently but when it came back down, he fumbled it. The lion rolled across the floor and to Lily's horror right across the grate and into the fire where it burst into flames. She screamed. James sat horrified at what had just happened.

"Get him out! Somebody get him out, McStuffins!" A sixth year in a nearby corner quickly jumped up and doused the flames, before carefully removing the ashen lion.

Lily's bottom lip quivered as she took the toy from the older student with a small whispered 'thank you.' The Gryffindor nodded and stood, stepping away allowing the first year to inspect the object. She turned it gently in her hands, clumps of mane falling to the floor; slowly the front leg of the lion fell off and the stuffing inside was still smoldering slightly and the little Black couldn't hold it back any longer. She burst into uncontrollable sobs, falling to the soft carpet and letting the rest of the toy fall apart when it hit the ground. James sat with fear, unwilling to move. Sirius was quick to react, pulling his sister into a hug.

"Crap, Lily, look I'm sorry." James finally spoke when her tears began to die down and many students had left the uncomfortable atmosphere. Her green eyes met his, piercing him to the bone before she ran for the girls dormitories.

"Do you think there's any way to fix it?" Sirius asked the sixth year who shook their head no.

"What was so important about that dumb toy anyway?" James asked.

"Dumb toy?" Sirius was becoming a bit annoyed with the boy he had come to call his friend. "That toy is what I went out and bought her from a muggle toy store when I was five, scaring my parents to death. I was always pushing her away when we were little and even now because of you. I've finally realized where I went wrong. All along she's only been looking for a friend in me and I've given her nothing, she's clung to everything I give her because then she can pretend everything is alright. So who are you to call her toy dumb? She has dragged it wherever she's gone for the last six years because it came from me. It is not some dumb toy; you act all high and mighty because you're some spoiled, rich, only child. Just stay away from me and her for a while."

"Imagine, a Gryffindor scorning someone for loving a lion." Peter Pettigrew spoke up from the corner and Sirius' upper lip twitched a bit. Remus covered his mouth with his hand. It was first class first year humor, which the older students recognized with large grins.

Sirius approached Remus later that night and they became fast friends, both shunning James from their new little social group. Sirius found Peter entertaining, enlightening, and a brilliant speech giver. He knew how to pick up anyone who was sad and his wit was perfect. The three would often spend their nights in the common room far away from the fire to avoid any other incidents with it. Lily had taken to joining them for studying and sitting next to each other in class. Remus was happy the siblings' relationship was starting to pick up and Lily had even branched out to one of the girls in her dorm who felt sorry about her lion being lost.

James however was lonely, he had no one to sit with in lessons and his dorm mates would no longer talk to him; instead they secluded themselves in a corner where they would share food and laugh. He had taken to sitting quietly on his bed and completing homework, he would hide in the library if he needed extra study materials-but for the most part he was nobody. It was during this time James knew he couldn't stay like this. He wanted people to know his name, he wanted to be a prime contributor to Hogwarts, and he would leave a legend behind. The time for making a little bit of trouble had come.


	4. James' Bad Prank

Chapter 4

James' Bad Prank

Christmas seemed to come early at Hogwarts; James hadn't managed to really repair his relationship with either Sirius or Lily and had begrudgingly taken up residence with Remus and Peter in the library. He barely spoke to anyone as those who had heard of the event tended to avoid and scorn him silently. Sirius didn't appear to like his sister's choice in friends any more than James did; Severus Snape just appeared to be a rotten egg right from the start. It was with a heavy heart those who didn't enjoy their families, but were required to go home, started to pack up their things. Lily found out Severus was staying at Hogwarts for Christmas and envied his free decision. Sirius became quickly annoyed at James' shouts of joy as he tossed many a thing into his open trunk. Remus was packing much quieter and Peter seemed to be finding socks without a mate to line up for collection if one desired.

"Peter, what on earth are you doing?" Sirius asked, interrupting a stream of dialogue coming from James' mouth about the honey glazed roast turkey they always had at Christmas.

"I'm lining up socks, to see if anyone has a sock that needs a mate and if not then I'm going to take them." He explained.

"Are you really that hard up for socks?" Remus quirked an eyebrow at their friend.

"I know a person likes to make sock puppets," Peter dotted along nervously. "I thought it might make a good Christmas present."

"Here," Sirius tossed him a rather wooly and fluffy pair of Slytherin green socks from his trunk. "You can have those; no doubt my mother will give me some more this Christmas."

"Thank you," Peter said happily tucking them away in the ragged trunk at the end of his bed.

"So what's Christmas like at your house Remus?" Sirius asked politely just as James had opened his mouth to say something.

"Oh its okay, my parents are pretty protective of me I guess you could say. I'll be seeing my sick grandma over the holiday if she's still hanging on."

"Didn't you attend your grandma's funeral last month though?" Peter looked up at the boy who'd been the first to befriend him.

"Oh yeah, but this is my other grandma, I must've forgotten to mention she was sick." Remus turned away to hide his blush. _Perhaps he should make a list of who's been sick and who has 'died,' _he thought stuffing a few more of his personal belongings into his trunk.

"I hope she feels better then mate," Sirius nodded at him and then slammed his trunk shut. "I'm going down for lunch; any of you wankers care to join me?"

"I will," Peter volunteered standing and dusting off his pants.

As they walked down to the Great Hall Sirius engaged Peter in conversation about favorite Christmas foods, while Peter enjoyed the roast turkey Sirius enjoyed the cranberry sauce. Peter expressed interest in this food as he had never had it before. They joined Lily for lunch and happily feasted away on desserts rather than proper food, they would have plenty proper food at home.

-oOo-

Lily was not at all pleased to find James Potter digging through her unattended trunk as she attempted to drag Sirius to the carriages. Remus and Peter were following close behind as the irate twin frog marched her brother through the school hallways, both of them were laughing at the odd sight. The group froze however when they saw James in his crime and waited for Lily's undiluted explosion.

"What are you doing with my trunk?"

"Oh, this is yours?" James feigned surprise. "I didn't know who had left their trunk unattended and I was trying to figure out who the owner was."

Lily narrowed her eyes. "My initials are on the side there and there's a Gryffindor tag on it."

"I uh, didn't see that."

"Blooming bet you didn't." Lily hissed slamming the trunk closed, not caring when James drew away an injured finger which had been nearly cut off.

"Next time I'll be sure to check the initials and tag."

Lily didn't deign him with a response; she simply grabbed the handle and wheeled it towards the horseless carriages waiting outside. Sirius quirked his eyebrows up at James and pressed his lips together in attempt to show his own annoyance for his sister, it was the first time in months this had happened between the pair. The trio quickly followed after Lily so they could grab a compartment together on the Hogwarts Express.

-oOo-

"Have you made any friends yet James?" Dorea Potter asked her son as he stepped off the train onto the platform.

"Not yet," James conceded pulling his trunk towards the exit, his mother following after him.

"Why not?"

"Just a few mishaps with the sister of one of my dorm mates," James shrugged.

"Oh and what caused these altercations?"

"I accidently tossed her stuffed animal in the fire and it died, plus a few other things and her twin is rather protective of her."

"I see," She took James hand in hers, "well lets go home and see if we can't solve your friend issue."

Once they had safely arrived back at Potter Manor after a terrifying ride on the Knight Bus, Dorea Potter sat her son down at the kitchen table with a plate of Christmas cookies and a glass of milk. She smiled warmly at him and readjusted the table centerpiece a bit before finally addressing him.

"Now, what seems to be the problem?"

For the next two hours Dorea Potter listened to her son tell her all about his first few months at Hogwarts and his dilemma with befriending any of his fellow Gryffindor's. Dorea had been a Slytherin herself during her years at Hogwarts, having once belonged to the Black family before marrying the blood traitor Charlus Potter and being thrown unceremoniously from her family line.

"So I put a frog in her trunk." James finished dramatically; his mother blinked at him and then sighed.

"And you think this frog is going to make them want to be your friend any more than they already do?" He looked down at the wooden table and began to trace the grooves with his eyes. "James, you have to be nice and not pull pranks on those you want to impress. You're more likely to go farther if you wait and see how they might react to a prank."

"Oh,"

"You've been around few kids your age; adults are more tolerating of child's play. You'll be alright James; you just got to tone down a little bit. Oh, and tell that poor girl what you did and apologize for putting a frog in her trunk. Honestly," Dorea lifted her own empty glass and moved towards the partition separating the dining room from the kitchen. "Be a dear and do the dishes tonight as well?"

"Sure,"

-oOo-

Lily was not happy at all, she knew exactly who was to blame for the monstrosity which was staring her into the corner. She had opened her trunk and let out a squeak when it _jumped _at her. There was no breath in her lungs as she pressed herself up against her bedroom wall, tears spilling down her pale cheeks as its glossy brown eyes rolled around in its head. The long pink tongue had emerged moments before to grab a loose fly and then wet its eyes.

"Hey Lily, mum was wondering if you were going to come down for dinner." Sirius opened her bedroom door to see her cowering in the corner.

Then his eyes fell on the amphibian sitting on her plush green carpet and he immediately tried to shoo it away. The thing wouldn't budge and he eventually went back down the stairs to fetch a jar. Once the animal was contained, Lily began to move, skirting around the edges of her room till she reached the door where she exploded onto the staircase, thundering down the steps and screaming in horror.

"What is it Lily?"

"There is a frog in my room!" She cried into her mother's shirt coat and Walburga rubbed soothing circles between her shoulder blades.

"How did a frog get into your room?" She asked, lifting the eleven year old effortlessly.

"A boy at school put in my trunk,"

"What happened?" Orion asked, Sirius peered around his mother a jar clutched tightly in his hands.

"Lily had an attack of ranidaphobia." Walburga explained, Sirius held up the jar containing an annoyed looking frog.

"Ah I see, I will go dispose of the offending creature at once." Orion made to stand.

"No need to bother, Kreacher will take care of it." Mrs. Black waved him off and called for the house elf and demanding he destroy the frog violently, Sirius happily handed over the jar and sat himself at the table.

"There you are darling, no more disgusting amphibians to try and hurt you." Orion smiled warmly at his daughter who nodded, sniffling, and wiped her eyes. Regulus pressed his foot to her leg under the table to let her know he was there too, Lily felt very loved by her parents and her brothers.

"So, tell me about your school friends."


End file.
